Forlorn Visage
by Khelish
Summary: This story is focused on a young female quarian named Aida'Nara nar Rayya. Set towards the end of 2183, she must leave everything she knows behind and complete her pilgrimage. Events that unfold break her as a person, and she finds solace in someone she did not expect.
1. Departure

Author's note - this has been a very good learning experience for me. I plan to continue this story and work on future chapters over time, though I do not have a good timetable to give you.

This would not have been made if it was not for Sneaky's story (The Silence After), which inspired me to begin writing. Her story is very good, and I highly recommend it. Secondly, I would like to give many thanks to Hyraz from the Tali Grew on the BSN. We spent many nights brainstorming ideas, and without his help, this story would not be here today. Last but certainly not least, is PK. His editing of my story along with his great advice was invaluable. Without him, my, story, would, look, like, this, (Yes, I use way too many commas)

Without any further interruptions, I give you my story. :)

* * *

_**Forlorn Visage**_

The metallic doors of Aida's home on the Rayya hissed open. The size of her family's home was considered average among most quarians, though it would be called small by other races who had luxuries such as extra space. The sounds of her parents talking quietly in the small comfort of those walls was always soothing. Aida'Nara nar Rayya had spent so many weeks training for her pilgrimage, so many days filled with young quarians talking loudly over each other...it was a very nice feeling to come home to the peace and quiet. The medical training was good to have and Aida was grateful, though her mind began to drift on what she was going to leave behind.

'_Home,_' she thought to herself. Aida hadn't even left yet and her mind was already dwelling on home. She felt her stomach clench, a fear of the unknown swept over her body. '_I can't do this._'

Her parents were standing in the kitchen talking in front of a sizable window that gave them plenty of starlight. Her mother, Asha'Nara, saw that Aida had returned from saying goodbye to a couple of her older friends that lived close by.

"Aida, are you okay? You should get the rest of your things - you don't want to be late." Asha began to walk over, sensing Aida's worries and doubts.

"Mother, what if something happens? What if something goes wrong? What if my gift is not-"

"Look, you will do fine," Asha tried to make her feel better. "You will make us proud."

Aida felt her mothers hand brush her arm for reassurance. "Thank you mother, I just... I'm scared," Aida's bright eyes watered ever so slightly behind her dark orchid visor. "Keelah, I'm not ready for this."

"Wait, isn't Aidos in your group as well? I'm sure you will stay close to him, considering you like him..." Asha teased.

"Mother!" Aida playfully pushed her mother's arm at the mention of her longtime crush.

Aida's father, Kael'Nara, looked on. He was never good with words and was far too shy around others. He was close to Aida though; they had so much in common, and did so much together. "I know you will be alright, Aida. You have nothing to worry about. I hear the others in your group have some really good gear, new stuff the marines just got."

Having small groups of quarians work together on their pilgrimage was not common, but it was allowed. Aida felt very lucky that she was going with a group. The fact that Aidos would be taking a leadership role in said group was a huge positive in her eyes. Her mind began to think of him. '_His kind and gentle nature, his blue suit that hugged his body tightly, his soft voice-_'

Aida snapped out of her daydream and came back to reality, looking towards Kael. "Thank you father. You both are right, I'm just worrying for nothing." A smile began to show on her face behind the mask. Her parents gave her comfort, something she was surely going to miss when she left.

Asha let out a small laugh in agreement, taking her arm and placing it on Aida's shoulder again. "You best get your things, they are leaving soon."

Aida nodded and moved towards her father. She threw her arms around him, holding him tightly. "I'm going to miss you so much."

"I know, I'll miss you too. You will be back here in no time." Kael was always there for her, and this would be the first time she was going to be away from him.

While still holding on to her father, she looked at the time being displayed on the wall. The holo-clock flickered dimly, causing her to squint her eyes. With only a few minutes remaining, she reluctantly released her father.

Aida made her way into the main living space, looking to the sides of the room as she entered. The metal walls were adorned with intricate blankets and art. This room was always her favorite - so many hours had been spent here, playing games and dreaming of what the future holds.

She turned her attention over to her small area of the room. All her belongings were kept in the corner, packed tightly to conserve space. A large purple cloth hung in front of her possessions, giving her a small amount of privacy from her parents. It had small but soft white dots along the border of the cloth. This same pattern was used on the material she had wrapped on her upper thigh - it was a personalized touch that made her even easier to pick out of a crowd.

Aida walked over and pulled the cloth back. Starlight came shining in through a window that followed the length of her bed. Her black backpack was near one of her fluffy pillows. She had packed the night before in preparation for today; everything she needed for her long journey was crammed into the small bag. It had all her medical equipment, along with a weeks supply of dextro-based food paste. She even made room for a spare realk, just incase they went to a formal event on their journey.

On the shelf right above her bed, Aida looked at her old plush toy - it had been a gift from her father on her seventh birthday. He had given her an ialira, a reminder that he would protect and watch over her. The gift was very special to both of them - it was a symbol of Kael's dedication to her. He would take the role of the ialira for his child, just as the animal would watch over its own eggs.

Aida brought her three fingered hands over to the shelf and picked up the toy. She gave it a light squeeze, remembering back to when she would play with the it as a child. She knew it was silly, but Aida would still play with it on occasion. '_I can't leave you here, it would be a crime to not bring you along._' she thought to herself.

"Aida! You have to get going, they will be leaving any minute!" Asha called out.

Toy still in hand, Aida quickly stuffed it in the already full pack and zipped it closed, hoping her parents didn't see. She grabbed the bag and took a few steps back.

'_One final look..._' her eyes went over the confined space, making sure her area was organized. Satisfied her quarters were clean, she grabbed the purple cloth and pulled it back, closing off her tiny section from the main living space.

As Aida turned around, she saw both her parents standing by the door. Asha and Kael both stood there, unsure what to say for a final farewell.

Aida's emotions rose up to the surface. "Mother... Father... I will message you when I can, I promise."

Hope was on her mind as she hugged her parents for the last time. After all the dread and fear, she actually was looking forward to spending time with new people while on her pilgrimage... especially Aidos.

Without exchanging any more words, Aida left. Her parents walked into the hall to watch her one more time. Aida was tempted to turn around, but she knew emotions would get the best of her again, so she kept her head forward.

Turning the corner at the end of the hall, Aida looked ahead towards the docking bay doors. "Here we go..." she said to herself with a smirk.

* * *

The citadel was a grand place, the crown of galactic society. The battle that took place just a few short months ago was still fresh on everyone's mind. People from every race were coming together, setting aside differences for the greater good. However, in the depths of a severely damaged ward, a human was about to get into an unfortunate affair with some members of his own kind...

Illuminating the cold, dark shadows of a once thriving section of the wards, Lincoln Lee made his way towards a place he always wanted to visit. Walking in the emptiness of these streets was soothing, even though he knew it was his responsibility to help restore this area. It was a reminder of how busy things were going to get.

After he walked for a short while, Lincoln came across the club he heard of in his debriefings with Alliance headquarters. This place was known to be a problem occasionally, though he figured people would have set aside differences for the time being.

The club was called Infusion and it had yet to be fully restored from all the damage, but people would often go there to blow off steam anyway. It was a place where humans were more prevalent than aliens, though Lincoln wasn't aware of the fact that some of the more extreme members of Terra Firma had taken over the local hangout. It had become a much more dreaded place.

As Lincoln entered Infusion, he was initially put off by streams of vibrant lights that shook his eyes. The bass from the music was shaking the floor. He made his way past the lit up lobby and went for a more relaxing spot, grabbing a drink in the process. Walking through the crowd of people on the dance floor, he was filled with a feeling of relief. Seeing all these people just enjoying themselves was a nice change of pace from his hectic rebuilding work.

Finally making his way to a secluded booth, curiosity struck him when he took a closer look at his drink. "Is that... a shade of green?" he said aloud, repulsed by the thick bubbly liquid. Disgusted, he decided to return it. As he walked over to the bar, maneuvering through the crowd, he overheard a few humans joking about quarians.

Lincoln put his glass down on the counter and approached the men, his justified rage burning bright in his eyes. The miscreants were heavily intoxicated and didn't need much incentive to throw harsh words around. Retaliating to Lincoln's argumentative defense, the drunk men spit out almost every racial slur imaginable. Things escalated quickly, and soon the five men at the bar surrounded him.

A particularly brutish member of the group lashed out at Lincoln. "You're going to stay down, you piece of shit," he yelled, his voice raised beyond comprehension. The patrons occupying the dance floor scrambled to the exit as the Terra Firma extremist lit up in anger.

A clenched fist made contact with Lincoln's face - all he could feel was blood pouring from his nose and mouth. The taste of his own blood was not something he expected to get out of this confrontation. Their personal insults didn't mean anything to him, but their racially charged words bothered him deeply.

"Stay down?" he said aloud. "How about no."

His stern reply made the five members from Terra Firma look at each other briefly. They didn't think someone in this part of the wards would be so defensive of aliens, let alone quarians.

Lincoln began to stand up slowly. His dirty blonde hair was unkempt from the punch and consequent fall. He put a hand over his face and realized his nose was most likely broken.

"You know," Lincoln said, spitting blood at the feet of the five brutish men. "If you guys just walk away now, I'll forget this whole thing." he said laughing.

The men looked at each other again, confused.

"Like we're going to let an alien lover walk away," their leader said defiantly.

Lincoln held back his N7 training when they first hit him. If he used that training, he would have ended up killing one of them. Right now though, he was seriously considering using his skills. Throughout his entire life there was one thing he loathed more than any other: racism.

Lincoln looked at the leader and chuckled. "Don't say I didn't warn you-"

Three men walked into the bar just as Lincoln raised his fist. The bright lights were still flashing across the empty dance floor and along the walls. A tall man wearing an officer's uniform began to walk over to the group of men. The other two men wore Alliance military grade armor and stayed back by the entrance.

"Break it up!" the officer yelled. The men from Terra Firma broke away, running in fear towards the back exit.

Lincoln recognized the voice: it was his superior, Admiral Charles West. They both had quite a history together. Lincoln had been under his command ever since Eden Prime. West was the main reason that he became an N7.

"Sir," Lincoln said bringing his hand to his jaw, as if nothing had taken place.

"Lincoln." West sighed at his friend's current predicament. "I don't care what happened here, that's not why I am came."

Whenever West said something like that, Lincoln knew it was never good news. "Why are you here then, sir?" he asked with concern.

West walked over to the bar and took a seat. Lincoln could see how upset he was. "Linc, listen," he said, looking down at the countertop. "I have to transfer you out of my command."

Lincoln brought up a cloth from the counter and began to dab the blood off his face. "Where," he said in an aggravated tone.

Still looking at the counter, West grabbed a bottle of some brandy and poured two glasses full. "Armstrong Cluster, Hong system," he slid one shot glass over to Lincoln. "They needed an N7."

"Need?" Lincoln said with heavy sarcasm, picking up the glass.

"There is a mercenary group we are observing," West said, lightly shaking his head. "They are bad news Linc. They need someone capable if those men make a move against our forces. You were the only one I trusted to handle this."

While he was glad people saw his talent, Lincoln was not jumping for joy at his new assignment. He was unsure of what would be an appropriate response to his new duties. Then he remembered all the favors West did for him - all the advice and support over the long months that seemed like years. He took a sip of his drink before beginning to speak. "What exactly does this entail? Some more details would be nice."

"I will debrief you on your way to the shuttle. We're leaving as soon as you are ready," And as West finished speaking he stood up, motioning for Lincoln to follow. "This way."

Lincoln downed the rest of his glass and began following West out of the club. '_God, this better work out._' he thought to himself.

* * *

After making a short walk to the docking bay, Aida activated a metal door. She walked in and sealed it shut behind her. The room she now occupied was her final stop before using a shuttle to board the Lihra, the ship they were using for their pilgrimage. Aida could hear the banter among the group of people in the open area, but one voice caught her attention.

"No. I'm not using that!" a very handsome male said in reply to a much older quarian marine.

"Why not? It's top of the line, lets you fire faster without waiting for your gun to cool." The marine was getting aggravated at the tireless defense from the inexperienced quarian.

Aida quietly walked to the bickering group, trying to get a better look at the young quarian arguing with the marine. She leaned over a table and placed her bag down, pretending to sift through her gear while trying to maintain a view of Aidos, the young quarian.

"Ha, you only have to wait for your gun to cool if you shoot without using moderation." Aidos picked up his assault rifle. "If you expect me to switch to that new tech, you can change out the cooling system in my rifle."

The snarky attitude only made the marine shake his head and walk away. When the marine moved, Aidos could see Aida standing fairly close by, leaning next to the table. The one thing he always noticed with Aida was her realk. It was black like the rest of her suit, though it had a silvery white lining along the trim. It contrasted well with her purple visor.

"Oh, hey Aida!"

Aida jerked her head slightly at the mention of her name. She had never talked with Aidos beyond the casual greeting, but she was always jittery around him.

"H-Hey..." her soft voice barely reached Aidos.

He looked towards her pack. "I hear you have been taking medical training?" Aidos folded his M-7 Lancer onto his back and moved towards her.

"Yes," she said quietly, zipping her pack. Her legs began to shake involuntarily, she couldn't believe Aidos knew what training she had been receiving.

"So," Aidos said as he sat on the table looking at into her visor. "Why medical training?"

"It..." she pulled the bag over her shoulder and clipped the buckles down. "It was my father's doing I guess."

"Your father is a doctor?" he said with curiosity.

"No," she turned and leaned on the table. "He is an engineer. I just want to help people and he raised me like that," Aida said with happiness. She was so glad she had a good relationship with her father - it meant everything to her.

Aidos looked at her form. She seemed to relax when talking about her father. He couldn't help but stare. She was always a pleasure to look at and her delicate voice was soothing. His eyes drifted lower, looking at a cloth that wrapped around her upper right thigh. It had very light silver dots adorning it, almost blending into the dark grey fabric.

"Hey," Aidos moved from his seat on the table and stood up. "If we ever run into trouble out there, just stick close, alright?"

"I uh," she looked over at him, keeping her head low. "I will." Her voice let out a small giggle as Aidos walked to the other quarians at the shuttle doors.

'_Keelah!_' she thought to herself. Butterflies danced around in her stomach. She began to stare at him for a while longer, fiddling with her fingers. '_This is going to be the best trip ever._'

* * *

As the eight pilgrims boarded the Lihra, they could not help but marvel at the journey that stood before them. Aida and Aidos walked side by side as they toured the small ship one final time before leaving the Flotilla. Finally making their way to the living quarters, Aida and the three other girls glanced at the room on the right side of the hall.

"This room is ours!" Elyse said playfully as she ran into the room and claimed a top bunk.

"I guess us guys will take this room," Aidos said laughing.

As Aidos entered his shared room, he noticed Aida still looking at his backside. Glancing over to her, she turned her head down and quickly walked into her room. Aidos couldn't help but smile at the attention he received from her.

"So," Haden said while unpacking his things onto his bed, taking notice of Aidos' change in behavior. "Aida?"

Aidos turned. "We'll see." He made his way towards his bed, which lay above Haden's own. "I've known her for a while, though this is really our first real 'talk', you know?"

"How long have you two known each other?" Haden asked, making sure no one else was in earshot.

"Uh." Aidos rubbed the back of his neck while he prepared to give an answer he wasn't proud of. "I have known her since I can remember. But I never took the initiative."

"What is so wrong with that?" Haden asked. "There is nothing wrong with being nervous about something like this."

"Easy for you to say, we all know the girls were flocking to you back in training." Aidos said jokingly. "Girls dig the pilots like you Haden."

"Ha." Haden stood up and began walking to the window located on the far side of the room. "Not as nice a thing as you would imagine," he said, letting out a small laugh. "Listen Aidos, just act natural and remain calm. I can tell she likes you," he said keeping his voice low.

Glancing at the others unpacking, Aidos made his way to Haden at the window. "I need to get her a gift or something on the Citadel when we go there."

"I'm sure she would love that," said Haden as he moved to the door. "Come on, I need to start this ship and get her ready."

The other quarians in the room were still unpacking their belongings. Aidos and Haden left the room and continued down the hall towards the cockpit. Aida was sitting on her bed. Her bag was leaning against her pillow and had yet to be unpacked. She saw both Aidos and Haden leave for the main deck and let out a soft sigh.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Elyse said in a cheerful tone from the top bunk.

"Oh." Aida brought her bag onto her lap. "I just want to talk with Aidos some more," she said with slight embarrassment.

"Good," said Elyse while hopping off of her bed. "Because Haden is mine." Her tone sounded as if she was hunting a wild animal.

Aida made room for Elyse to sit along side her. "How do you...talk with him?" Her voice was so low that the other girls in the room could not even tell they were chatting.

"Talk?" Elyse pondered as she sat down next to her. "I don't know, we just, chat." She continued.

"Elyse, we have been friends for some time now since training." Her voice seemed to indicate that she was worried. "I'm just not good with this stuff at all. I don't want him to dislike what he sees when he gets to know me."

"Keelah," Elyse gasped. "How could you even think something like that? If Aidos is as smart as he is good looking, he will fall in love with your personality."

Aida was blushing uncontrollably beneath her dark orchid visor. "T-Thank you Elyse." She brought her hands on top of her bag. "That means a lot."

The other two girls were by their bunk playing hak'na sha to kill the time before they left the Fleet. Their giggling was almost contagious to Aida and Elyse.

"Let's go play with them!" Elyse said, grabbing Aida's arm and bouncing on her toes.

Aida let out a laugh. "Haha, okay," she said in agreement.

As Aida and her friends adjusted to their new home, time passed by quickly. Ten minutes later, Aidos began to speak through the comm...

"Everyone, you may want to make your way up here. We are leaving. I figured you would want to see the Flotilla one last time before we head off." Aidos then clicked off the intercom.

The eight pilgrims moved quickly out of their rooms and into the tight hallway. Walking down the corridor and hearing the old engine hum gave them a feeling of nervousness. The Patrol Fleet was currently making sure the path to the relay was clear for them - one final gesture of good luck.

Aida was near the back of the group, walking towards the cockpit. She could see all her fellow quarians moving with such speed and momentum. This was the first time they were all leaving what they knew behind; the feeling was indescribable.

After a short walk through the quarian ship, they arrived at the main deck. It had windows forming a half circle, giving them a panoramic view of the Flotilla. Starlight radiating off the liveships was a sight to behold. Aida took a few steps towards Aidos, brushing against him lightly. Aidos' eyes drifted from the window and onto her. He felt like it was his duty to protect her on this journey.

As all eight quarians remained in silence, Haden began to tap away at the controls. The Lihra emitted an even louder hum than before. The engines began to thrust the ship forward, moving the image of the Flotilla across the glass.

The Lihra slowly moved away from the Fleet. This moment was what they all have been waiting for, and now that it was here, they were breathless.

Kael and Asha had gone up to an observation deck on the Rayya with the other pilgrims' parents. It was a tradition to watch their children one last time as they left the Flotilla.

Emptiness. The inevitable void: the one that all quarians experience as their child departs on their journey of adulthood. Asha tried to repress her longing to see her daughter, but the emotion proved too strong. Kael moved his arm around his wife trying to comfort her. He told her how proud they should be for her daughter's maturing into adulthood.

Asha began to cry. Her filtered sobs echoed through her mask and throughout the room.

As the Lihra was nearly out of view, many of the parents began to leave the deck, heading back to their duties. Asha soon followed and tearfully beckoned Kael to come along.

As he was contemplating on the pilgrims' ship moving in the distance, he realized this had been tougher on him than initially thought. With his daughter now almost out of view, he decided to leave the window, ignorant of the bitter truth that this had been one of his last moments with Aida on the Flotilla.

* * *

Author's post note - I needed to make one edit with the last sentence, I noticed something that had to be fixed. Sorry for the change, hope you enjoyed the chapter. More to come soon!


	2. Reminisce

**_Chapter II_**

_Two months later..._

The _Lihra_ was currently settled next to a mass relay as the pilgrims slept in their small vessel. It was very quiet inside the confined halls of the quarian ship; the engines purring on standby to conserve power. Everyone was sound asleep - except for one quarian. Aida'Nara nar Rayya was in her bottom bunk covered in layers of soft blankets trying to keep warm in the cold room. The other girls had fallen asleep hours ago, though Aida was wide awake.

Unable to sleep, Aida began to reminisce over the events since leaving the fleet. The pilgrims journeyed through many colonies quickly en route to their main destination, the Citadel - it was the best place to get any good information or ideas for their _armida'caar_. While some of the young quarians wanted to acquire new technology or a ship to bring back to the fleet for their pilgrimage gift, Aida had planned for something much more special.

Ever since the geth attacked Eden Prime, many quarians knew it was only a matter of time before their entire people were forced to make a move. The Flotilla's population was very divided when the topic of how to deal with the situation came up. Many quarians wanted to reclaim Rannoch, while others wanted to find a new world to colonize in peace. Aida and her family fell into the latter group.

While Rannoch was a worthy dream, the war would be long and bloody. The quarians that wanted to avoid conflict acknowledged that both sides made mistakes during the Morning War. Making peace with the synthetic race was something the sympathizers aspired to achieve. Aida had made it a personal goal to find viable data on dextro-based worlds that were available for colonization. It was something she knew would propel her into the spotlight back home, but as long as she saved lives on both sides of this conflict in the process, she wouldn't mind the attention.

During the pilgrims' time on the Citadel, the first thing they did was visit as many clubs and bars as possible. '_Keelah, all the lights and noise..._' Aida remembered, reluctantly following her friends on their massive clubbing spree. The entire first week away from the _Rayya_ was spent partying and dancing the nights away with every alien imaginable. Having spent more than enough time meeting many people, hearing stories and rumors, something in particular caught Aida's attention when they entered a rundown bar in one of the wards.

She had heard that one week prior to arriving on the Citadel, an honorable human defended her race amongst other aliens - that alone did not warrant any special mention; it was the fact he stood up to five men at once. True kindness towards her people was rare. Aida wished that she could have met such a man.

'_I still want to thank him,_' she thought to herself while in her bunk. '_If only we left the Flotilla a week earlier..._' she mentally kicked herself while twisting and turning within her soft bed.

As Aida found a comfortable position resting on her side, she continued the recollection of her journey's events so far. The first week had ended quickly, and both Aida and Aidos understood that they all needed to change gears - spending so much time exploring the Citadel was fun, although it was not very productive. After much discussion with the other pilgrims, they all came to the conclusion that they should begin working towards their _armida'caar_, and to help one another if they needed assistance in getting their gift.

Aida couldn't help but feel as if she was taking advantage of the group while on the Citadel. The data she wanted to bring back was going require much more work than getting a mere ship or new technology. Aidos had told her repeatedly that she should not worry about such things, and that they were in this together. His words soothed her - she was lucky to have him as a friend.

As Aida'Nara spent time researching on where to find the data for her people, others in the group had already taken the necessary steps to acquire their gifts. Aida had taken note on what everyone had wanted to gather so that she could help them if need be.

Haden'Noryn was a fine pilot for his young age. He wanted to find an admirable ship to bring back to the fleet. The craft Haden had been looking at was of turian design - their ships were very sturdy and reliable; the fleet could use them. All he needed was to save up enough credits along the journey, and he would be able to buy the vessel before returning to the Flotilla. It was a fairly simple goal which only required time.

Elyse'Vera had dragged the pilgrims to many stores across the wards, trying to find new types of material or clothing to use in quarian environmental suits. While her interests were centered more on aesthetic qualities, the new materials could vastly improve the overall quality of life within their suits. Aida personally loved following Elyse while on the Citadel - they received many compliments from certain clothing centers on the beauty of their suits.

While in one of the stores, Aida had found new ways to improve her already unique outfit. She added extra layers for even more storage space in addition to her black backpack. One last thing caught Aida's eye while in that clothing store - a fabric that lay in a display case along with some other pieces of human-centric materials. The faded cloth had light purple swirls that stretched along its entire length. Aida had never seen anything like it before.

Recalling how she bought the intriguing cloth months ago, Aida moved the velvet blanket off of her right leg. Glancing down as she slowly lifted her right foot into the air, Aida admired the human artwork that adorned her body. The silk cloth was wrapped snugly on her right upper thigh, bringing even more attention to her features than what she previously wore.

'_Elyse, so outgoing and kind. I'm sure she will find a nice ship to call home once we return to the Flotilla._' Aida told herself as she slowly lowered her leg and covered up with the velvet blankets.

Haden and Elyse had both took it upon themselves to help the youngest pilgrims with getting their armida'caar. The gifts they were after were nothing large in scale; some supplies and resources were gathered quickly from certain vendors in the wards. These items were something the young ones were certain a captain would want to accept.

For Aidos'Danna, he had something far more unique planned, like Aida. She remembered earlier in his youth back on the_ Rayya_, he had always been intrigued by ancient quarian culture. Finding any old artifacts or items would be a great addition to the Fleet's historical archives, not to mention it would be a proud personal achievement. Being in clan Danna also was a factor into his decision to look for something of this scale. His family's name was one that held honor and respect among the_ Rayya_ - he had to prove himself.

'_Aidos,_' Aida thought to herself, feeling her heart flutter. '_Why haven't I talked with him?_' her thoughts now drifted towards regret. So much time had passed, and they still never told him how she felt.

Turning in bed once again, trying to push the negative thoughts from her mind, she continued to recount the events since leaving the Flotilla.

When the first month came to a close, the pilgrims were very pleased with their progress. The quarians that finished with their _armida'caar_ had began to learn alien cultures and customs. Part of the pilgrimage was to open your mind to the other species in the galaxy.

While the _Lihra_ was docked on the Citadel, the pilgrims would talk with each other and discuss different ideas and takes on alien society. It was an activity that made the young quarians eager to return home every night.

From krogan to salarian, they had endless nights talking with their bunkmates. Aida and Elyse usually stayed up far later on nights when discussing humans. Even though they never spoke of it, Elyse knew Aida was truly interested in humanity.

'_There is just something about humans, learning about them - all their cultures and customs - it was amazing,_' Aida marveled as she lay in her cozy bed. She had learned the basics of humanity during her younger days in the Flotilla's education programs, though she never delved so deeply into their society as she did on those nights with Elyse.

In the second month, Aida had finally become content that the others in the group had their gifts already, or were fairly close. She finally decided to pay a visit to Baria Frontiers. Their offices were on the Presidium, and would certainly have information on dextro based planets...even though Aida knew it would cost a lot to obtain.

The pilgrims had yet to journey to the Presidium, but when they went, the one thing Aida noticed was the snide glares and looks that they received from the inhabitants. It was an eye-opener to see how different the people up in the Presidium treated quarians.

Laying in bed, Aida couldn't help but remember why people hated her race. '_The geth; a simple creation cost us our world and our place in the galaxy, and after three hundred years, the quarians are stilling paying for this mistake._' Every quarian was defensive when talking about things related to their outcast from Rannoch.

Ignoring the condescending attitudes and looks on the Presidium, Aida, Aidos, and Haden made their way to the Baria Frontier offices. Aida remembered how large and clean the lobby was - it all seemed so very organized. The nerves that ran through Aida's body while walking up to the receptionist almost made her turn and walk away, but Aidos put a hand on her shoulder.

She remembered the feeling well - his soft hand resting on her left shoulder, his calm and soothing voice... '_Aida, I'll be right here for you._'

Looking back on that moment from a few weeks ago, Aida regretted not saying anything in return. She felt as if she was ruining her chances with him. She needed to fix this.

As Aida tossed in bed, the Lihra's computers began to activate. The systems were programmed to automatically turn on after their sleeping cycle ends.

"Keelah, is it morning already?" Aida turned to face a small nightstand by her bottom bunk. The clock projected there was only a few hours until everyone would be up and about. Aida turned in her covers, putting her back to the nightstand.

"Just need to sleep for at least a couple...hours," Aida said quietly said as she finally trailed off to sleep.

* * *

"No, I won't!"

The loud feminine voice rattled Aida as her mind returned to reality from a deep slumber.

"Keelyn, I'm not going to use nerve-stim pro with him!" Elyse's words were so loud in the confines of their shared living space, Aida couldn't help but groan and toss in her bunk.

"A-Aida, you are awake!" Keelyn said as she bounced over to the exhausted quarian.

Elyse and Keelyn's cousin Ylena turned from the small table - both wanting to ask the same thing of Aida, but Keelyn beat them to it.

"Why are you so tired, sleepy head?!" Keelyn said as she knelt at the foot of Aida's bunk.

Keelyn's energetic attitude was somewhat of a mystery to Aida, although it was not unwelcome. Sitting up slowly, Aida began to stretch her arms shakily in the open air.

"I was-" Aida said as she interrupted herself with a yawn. "I was just thinking about everything we've done since leaving home." Aida pushed the blankets off and moved her feet to the floor. Sitting on her bed, she looked over to Elyse who was seated at the table located near the window.

As Aida turned to speak, the bright blue light from the mass relay hit her dark orchid visor, making Aida squint her eyes. "So, what were you two talking about?" she asked Elyse.

Keelyn looked over to Elyse as well, and a smirk started to appear under her cyan colored mask. "Elyse likes Haden," Keelyn said in a playful tone. "I only suggested they step it up to the next level," she said defensively.

"Going up to Haden and using my nerve-stim with him is," Elyse couldn't find the words as she started to stare off into the wall. "It's just not something you 'do' randomly. Not to mention we haven't talked about anything yet."

"You're afraid!" Keelyn said while giggling.

Ylena, who was also sitting at the table with Elyse, couldn't help but laugh at the situation unfolding in front of her.

"Speaking of unrequited love,"Ylena said with a smile while glancing over to Aida. "Have you talked to Aidos yet?"

Aida started to regret asking Elyse what they were discussing. Keelyn and Ylena were always trying to play matchmaker.

"I will soon," Aida said while walking towards the clean room located in the far corner of the room.

"Why not now?" Keelyn asked as she stood up from kneeling next to Aida's bed.

As the door to the clean room opened quietly, Aida suddenly stopped all movements after hearing that question. '_Why__** not**__ now?_' Aida thought to herself briefly. '_Is Keelyn right?_'

"How would I tell him," Aida said as she turned to face Keelyn. "I mean, what if he doesn't care?"

Elyse slowly stood up from sitting at the table. "Aida..." she said in a reassuring tone. "Keelah, just tell him."

"Only if you talk with Haden," Aida shot back almost instantly.

Ylena and Keelyn both watched on, trying not to giggle aloud as their plan took an unexpected turn. Teasing their friends like this was something of a hobby back on the Flotilla - they were glad to see they haven't lost their touch.

"Fine," Elyse replied, taking her three fingered hands and carefully brushing her smooth pink hood back. "He's in the cockpit right now, most likely alone. As perfect a time as any."

Elyse started towards the exit of their room and disengaged the lock. The metal door opened with a hiss. Peering out into the hall, she could see Aidos talking with the two youngest members of the group. The young quarian men seemed to be paying extra attention to Aidos and his words - it seemed like something important was going on.

Looking back into her room quickly, Elyse glanced at Aida who was currently preparing herself for the inevitable 'talk' with Aidos.

"Aida," Elyse called out. "Aidos is right in the hall by the command center."

Butterflies built up within Aida. "I'm guessing you want me to go first then?" Aida said as she writhed her hands together out of pure nervousness.

"I'll walk with you to him, but then I need to go to Haden and complete my side of the deal," Elyse said in a cheerful tone. She soon put forth her hand and gestured for Aida to follow.

The feelings of worry and regret seemed to dissipate from Aida completely. Something about Elyse's confidence in situations like this was inspiring.

As the two quarians started walking towards the door, Ylena and Keelyn had both taken seats by the window and began to eat their breakfast. Leaning forward in their chairs, it looked like they were watching a romantic vid from back on the Flotilla - Though Aida and Elyse made for far better entertainment than any shows currently installed their omni-tool.

As Aida and Elyse left the room, Keelyn couldn't help but get in one last word of encouragement. "Don't forget to use your nerve-stim!"

The doors closed rapidly. Aida let out a small laugh from hearing Keelyn, though the feeling was soon replaced with worry.

Now in the ship's confined halls, Aida felt a surge of nerves fill her body as she saw Aidos talking with Aaron and Reed by the command center. From his stance and pose, he seemed to be either upset or very worried. Doubt suddenly crept into her mind. '_No, I can do this. He will understand._' Aida assured herself.

"Come on," Elyse said with care as she took the first steps in the corridor. Aida didn't even think about it, she just put one foot in front of the other; following her pink suited friend towards her crush.

The distance was being closed faster than she thought. Their soft footsteps echoing slightly in the hall, Aidos turned to look at the noise. His stance fell back, like he dreaded that Aida decided to walk this way.

'_Why does he look so nervous..._' Aida wondered in response to Aidos' body language.

Elyse was the first to pass Aidos. Reed and Aaron couldn't help but look at her features as she squeezed between them. "See you later guys," Elyse said enthusiastically as she made her way to the staircase leading to the cockpit.

Aaron and Reed's eyes were glued on Elyse's backside till she was out of sight. The young men snapped back to reality as Aidos interjected. "I want you to be careful, we don't know what to expect when we get there."

The two boldly nodded in agreement with Aidos. "Sure thing," they each said one after the other.

Aida stood to the side of Aidos, patiently waiting for him to dismiss the pilgrims. She began to fidget with her hands even more.

"We should get there in a few hours, you should get your weapons ready." Aidos said while giving them a gesture to head back to their room.

Nodding again, Reed and Aaron began walking past Aida and towards their living space - both of them giving a look of compassion to her.

As they made their way down the hall, Aidos turned to face Aida. His eyes glanced over her features, though his mind soon pushed any desires away.

"H-hey," Aida started as she stepped closer to Aidos. "I need to talk with you about-"

"Something has happened," Aidos interrupted, having a difficult time finding the right words. "We got an emergency message from your father. you need to hear it immediately," he said while placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

Aida took a few steps back, brushing off his hand. She felt as if the small corridor was spinning around her. "What are you talking about," she said as dread and worry fully took over. "What happened to my father?"

* * *

Author's post note - I would like to thank PK, Hyraz, and Sneaky Fox for beta'ing this with me. Once again, I will gladly take any constructive feedback from readers. :)

**_Keeciile'armidas val caardii_** - Literally means "Gifts* to the People" in Khelish. The phrase for "Pilgrimage gift", and is only used in formal political meetings or announcements. For common usage, quarians have abbreviated the phrase to Armida'caar.


End file.
